Refugees and Rise of Anti-Immigrantism in Europe

“Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies and therefore remains a ‘life lie,’ [or ‘sham’]… “ — Angela Merkel, 2015

Just after enacting the “open door” migrant policy, Angela Merkel and all of Europe faced a political backlash, including rising nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Europe took in a fairly small number of Middle Eastern refugees. Why has it been so painful?

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• Merkel on multiculturalism, 2015: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/12/14/angela-merkel-multiculturalism-is-a-sham/?utm_term=.6f9c5dd7a808

• Merkel on multiculturalism, 2010: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/17/angela-merkel-german-multiculturalism-failed

• 55% of Germans believe that Arabs are “unpleasant people” and ⅓ believe the country is “overrun by foreigners:” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/17/angela-merkel-german-multiculturalism-failed

• German election: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_federal_election,_2017

• Syrian Refugees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_the_Syrian_Civil_War

• Calais Jungle: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29074736

• Terrorists among the refugees to Sweden: https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2016-07-05/migrationsverket-anmaler-allt-fler-terrorhot

• Turkey-EU Deal http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35854413

• 15% Islamic Germany claim: https://www.nationaleconomicseditorial.com/2017/02/19/german-economy-immigration/

• Way lower islam in Germany claim: https://www.thelocal.de/20161214/this-is-how-many-muslims-actually-live-in-germany

• Pew Center on Islam in Europe: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/19/5-facts-about-the-muslim-population-in-europe/

• Refugee integration in Germany: https://www.ft.com/content/e1c069e0-872f-11e7-bf50-e1c239b45787

• On Germany’s refugee numbers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/09/30/germany-said-it-took-in-more-than-1-million-refugees-last-year-but-it-didnt/?utm_term=.a0c8611b29fb

• Germany’s asylum information database: http://www.asylumineurope.org/reports/country/germany/statistics

• The German “open door” policy of 2015: http://www.dw.com/en/two-years-since-germany-opened-its-borders-to-refugees-a-chronology/a-40327634

• Pew on refugees coming to Europe: http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/08/02/number-of-refugees-to-europe-surges-to-record-1-3-million-in-2015/

• What Germany’s refugee project looked like: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/germany-merkel-refugee-asylum/405058/

• EU court says refugees must seek asylum in first country they enter: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/26/eu-court-rejects-open-door-policy-upholds-right-member-states/

• April 2017: majority of Germans say they “cannot take more” refugees: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/789416/Germany-Migration-migrant-crisis-angela-merkel-refugee-Syria-Iraq-Afghanistan